


and your enemies closer

by Kacka



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Rivalry, Social Media
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 09:34:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13232961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kacka/pseuds/Kacka
Summary: @officematechroniclessome days you're like 'I can be a mature adult' and then you find yourself plotting petty revenge and wonder where it went wrong@greenmachinepetty revenge sounds pretty adult to me@callmemillerYeah, we're all here for petty revenge.@r2-b2What did he do this time@officematechronicleshe cHANGED THE WIFI PASSWORD. AND THEN LEFT. WITHOUT TELLING ME WHAT IT IS.@r2-b2that sucks. maybe he just forgot?? not everyone is out to get you@officematechroniclesNot everyone. Just him.





	and your enemies closer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HawthorneWhisperer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HawthorneWhisperer/gifts).



> happy birthday!

**@officematechronicles**  
some days you're like 'I can be a mature adult' and then you find yourself plotting petty revenge and wonder where it went wrong

 **@greenmachine**  
petty revenge sounds pretty adult to me

 **@callmemiller**  
Yeah, we're all here for petty revenge.

 **@r2-b2**  
What did he do this time

 **@officematechronicles**  
he cHANGED THE WIFI PASSWORD. AND THEN LEFT. WITHOUT TELLING ME WHAT IT IS.

 **@r2-b2**  
that sucks. maybe he just forgot?? not everyone is out to get you

 **@officematechronicles**  
Not everyone. Just him.

 **@the0gReyes**  
what's your revenge plan so far

 **@officematechronicles**  
sticky-noting his desk, but it lacks the poetic justice I'm going for. better ideas welcome

 **@the0gReyes**  
lock all his shit in a box and 'forget' to leave him the key

 **@the0gReyes**  
change all the locks on the doors without telling him

 **@the0gReyes**  
take the wifi router with you when you go so he'll suffer the same way he made you suffer

 **@officematechronicles**  
GENIUS

 **@the0gReyes**  
i get that a lot

 **@greenmachine**  
@the0gReyes remind me never to get on your bad side

* * *

"Morning, Princess."

"That's Dr. Griffin to you."

Clarke had thought she'd be past 'shitty roommate' as a pressing concern once she was making enough money to live on her own, and she is, and it's great. 'Infuriating office mate' is an annoyance she didn't see coming.

She doesn't know exactly who assigned Bellamy-- Professor Blake-- to move in to her office while the political science building is getting renovated, or what game they thought they were playing. Her rivalry with him is legendary on campus, and has only worsened with proximity.

"Is it?" He looks far too smug, and smug is _far_ too good a look on him for Clarke's liking. "I must be in the doghouse. And I wasn't even trying this time."

"It's a natural talent."

He hums, shedding his coat and scarf, pushing up the sleeves of his sweater.

As someone who has had many nemeses in her life, Clarke knows that Bellamy wouldn't get under her skin half as easily if he she weren't so attracted to him. He's not a bad guy, isn't honestly even that bad an office mate. It's just that they like to rile each other up, both too stubborn and combative to back down. They'd both rather escalate things past the point of no return than concede, and that doesn't make for the most productive of working environments.

She created the officematechronicles Twitter to vent her frustrations, and it had sort of spiraled out of her control. It's not viral or anything, but she's got followers she doesn't know in real life, which is somewhat daunting. She doesn't consider herself a naturally funny person. Luckily, her feud with Bellamy has kept up a steady stream of fodder so far.

"Something wrong?" She asks, trying to tamp down on her glee after his third muttered curse of frustration in twenty minutes.

"Nothing," he mutters, tapping the keys a little too hard for that to be believable.

"What did that keyboard ever do to you?"

"I'm just having an off morning," he sighs, flipping through his planner in agitation. "I think my email password must have expired, because it's not letting me in." 

He finally reaches the day he was looking for and runs his finger down the page, frowning. "I didn't think it was going to run out until next month, though. And you'd think they'd send me emails about it beforehand."

"You would think," Clarke agrees, biting her lip on a smile. "IT can probably help you reset it, right?"

"Yeah, it's just-- weird."

She listens in with one ear as he messages IT through the chat app they have set up, pretending to be focused on her own work but not making very much headway.

At last, he leans back slowly in his chair, letting out a long breath.

"Funny story," he says, conversational. "According to IT, I changed my password yesterday, and that's why I can't get in with my old one."

Clarke blinks up at him, all contrived innocence in the face of his accusatory scowl. His arms are crossed over his chest, making everything look bigger and broader than they already are-- which is saying something-- and his jaw muscle is jumping very tellingly.

"Wow," she says, leaning back in her own chair with a smirk. "Forgot already? I guess you probably have a lot on your mind, with finals and all."

"Cute," he deadpans. "What did you do?"

"Me? How could I possibly have known that your password was your sister's name and the date of Emperor Augustus's death? What reason would I possibly have for changing a password on you and forgetting to tell you about it?"

"You're telling me you sat there and let me flounder for--" He checks his watch. "An _hour_ , all because I forgot to leave the new wifi password for you yesterday?"

"I'm not saying anything."

"Nice, Princess. Real nice. Now are you going to tell me what my new password is or am I going to have to--" He pauses. "Actually..."

Clarke frowns as he leans forward and hits a few keys, letting out a victorious "Ha!" after a moment.

"Never mind," he gloats. "I'm in."

"How?"

"#DrGriffin2u. Capitals, symbols, numbers, and I know how you think. Face it, Princess: you're predictable."

"And you're insufferable."

"Right back at you."

Clarke glares at her computer screen, refusing to give him the satisfaction of even looking in his direction. Still, she can't help but wonder what it says about them that they know each other so well. 

* * *

 **@officematechronicles**  
POLL TIME: which noise is the most annoying to hear in an otherwise quiet room?  
\--snacking on pretzels  
\--constant shifting in a squeaky chair  
\--tapping fingernails/pen on desk  
\--chewing bubble gum  
\--off-key humming

 **@r2-b2**  
Is this you formulating a plan of attack or is there a right answer?

 **@officematechronicles**  
the office mate WOULD NOT STOP WHISTLING today. tomorrow it's my turn to drive him crazy

 **@r2-b2**  
Pretty sure you're the crazy one.

 **@officematechronicles**  
*middle finger emoji*

 **@greenmachine**  
I say you whistle along. Harmonize. Give him a taste of his own medicine.

 **@officematechronicles**  
I would but I have zero (0) musical talent

 **@callmemiller**  
And??

 **@officematechronicles**  
you're so right!! it's perfect.

 **@r2-b2**  
Now I feel kind of sorry for the guy.

 **@officematechronicles**  
whose side are u on?

* * *

"What's this."

It comes out as a dubious statement more than a question as she regards the paper cup in front of her.

"Bean water. It's caffeinated, and has an ungodly amount of sugar in it."

"Just because you drink yours black doesn't mean you're better than me," she grumbles, taking a reluctant sip. She's not expecting it to poison her, but she's wracking her brain as she takes a sip, trying to figure out his angle.

Annoyingly, it's perfect. From her favorite campus coffee vendor, prepared exactly how she likes it. Stupid Bellamy.

"It doesn't," he agrees, watching her closely, triumph in his eyes. "Good, right?"

"It's drinkable. What did you do to it?"

"Not a thing. Consider it a peace offering."

"A peace offering."

"Don't hurt yourself trying to figure out my ulterior motive," he advises, sitting down at his desk, which faces hers at an angle that shows off his perfect jawline and unruly curls in their best light.

"If this has laxatives in it I might actually murder you," she says, contemplative. "Messing with someone's coffee is a low blow."

"I think the words you're looking for are 'thank you'."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Basic manners? I wouldn't mind them, no."

Clarke considers for a moment. "I'd better drink the rest of it first. Make sure I'm not showing any gratitude preemptively."

Bellamy snorts.

"Whatever you say, Princess."

* * *

 **@officematechronicles**  
FOUR DAYS IN A ROW he's brought two coffees to the office. One for me, one for him. Four days in a row  & i still can't figure out what his game is

 **@r2-b2**  
Friendship?

 **@officematechronicles**  
Sounds fake

 **@officechronicles**  
Maybe he knows how much it bugs me that i can't figure it out. That seems like the kind of thing he'd pull

 **@the0gReyes**  
yeah he's clearly the one messing with your mind. that's not on you at all  
[congrats-you-played-yourself.gif]

 **@r2-b2**  
I'm with @the0gReyes on this one. Seems like you're reading too much into it

 **@officematechronicles**  
I mean it's not keeping me up at night or anything

 **@r2-b2**  
yeah this is the twitter feed of someone who doesn't care

 **@officematechronicles**  
Nobody asked u

 **@the0gReyes**  
[I-AM-SUPER-CHILL-ALL-THE-TIME.gif]

 **@officematechronicles**  
Nobody asked u either

* * *

On Friday, Clarke shows up at the coffee shop as soon as they open, grabbing a table in the corner. From this vantage point, she can see the counter but is out of the way enough that she isn't immediately noticeable.

Honestly, the whole thing would bug her less if Bellamy had been more normal about it. If he'd been sniping with her like usual, or reading her lesson plans over her shoulder and giving her a hard time about them like he always does. Instead, he's been polite and considerate, teasing her a little but nothing like their standard back-and-forth.

It's not his style to be messing with her coffee and laughing to himself about what a fool she is-- if nothing else, he likes taking credit because he knows it will provoke a reaction. But she can't figure it out, so she's up at six thirty, staking out the coffee shop in paranoia.

She hears his voice a little while later, chatting with the baristas in that effortlessly charismatic way of his. It's always fascinating to watch him turn it on, whether in lectures or out in the wild.

It's even more fascinating to realize that Clarke has never had it aimed her way. The Bellamy she gets is curmudgeonly and overdramatic and a cunning adversary, and all of that feels more sincere to her than this charming persona he puts on for the rest of the world. This side of him might be appealing, but she finds that she likes her version-- the real version, she thinks-- much better.

She's still thinking about it when he collects the coffees and catches her eye as he turns to go.

For half a beat they stare at each other, and then Clarke gives him a sheepish smile. A crooked grin cracks across his face.

"What are you doing here? I thought you'd be enjoying your daily half-hour of having the office to yourself."

"Change of scenery?" She says, and after a moment of studying her he huffs.

"You really don't trust me at all, do you?"

"I trust you," she says, defensive and a little surprised at her own conviction. His frustration abates some as he hears it too. "I just don't _get_ you. You say you don't have any ulterior motives, but-- you have to have _some_ motive. Right?"

He works his jaw, hesitating.

"Okay," he says, sliding her cup to her. "I have a confession."

"You've been spitting in it, haven't you?"

"No. Scout's honor." He wets his lips. "I know about your Twitter account."

Clarke freezes, cup halfway to her mouth. "Sometimes I use Twitter to let my students know if I'm going to be--"

"Not that one. The one about me." He laughs a little, running a hand through his hair, ruffling it further. "My sister sent it to me? I guess I'd been complaining about you a lot, to over up how much I actually like you, and she thought I'd find it-- relatable?"

"And instead you recognized yourself in it."

"It's not like it was hard." He pauses. "Well, I wasn't sure at first. I hoped they weren't yours at first, because it seemed like you hated me so much."

Clarke reddens slightly. "I definitely don't hate you. It's like you said, I would rant to my friends about you and they got tired of it. But my students know my Twitter, so--"

"Yeah. It makes sense."

"Have you ever tweeted me back?"

"Once or twice? I'm uh-- r2-b2?"

Clarke laughs. "Once or twice, my ass. I should've known it was you. I don't know anyone else who likes to argue with me as much."

"You were talking shit about me on the internet!" He's laughing too. "I had to defend myself."

"Yeah, that's fair." She pauses, studying him over the rim of her cup. "You know, none of this explains the coffees."

"Oh." The tips of his ears go pink. "You tweeted last week about my 'stupid freckled face' and it felt pointless to keep pretending I didn't have a thing for you, when we were on the same page. Assuming we are on the same page. If we're not, you don't have to-- The coffee doesn't come with any strings. I just didn't know how to--"

"Bellamy," Clarke interrupts, biting back on a fond smile. "Can I buy you a drink sometime? Maybe not coffee, and maybe not during work hours?"

And even if she hadn't been sure before, the swirling sensation in her chest when he smiles confirms just how much she really does like him.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"Cool." She hides her own smile behind a sip, though she suspects he can see it in her eyes. "It's a date."

* * *

 **@officematechronicles**  
how am i supposed to get anything done in these conditions

 **@r2-b2**  
I'm sitting at my desk, doing my own work? Quietly??

 **@officematechronicles**  
yeah and your presence is extremely distracting

 **@callmemiller**  
this is not the content i followed for

 **@r2-b2**  
The unfollow button exists for a reason

 **@officematechronicles**  
how dare you try to run off my followers like that?!

 **@the0gReyes**  
get a room

 **@officematechronicles**  
we have one, thanks

 **@r2-b2**  
She makes a good point though.

 **@the0gReyes**  
seriously, can you guys take this flirting offline? go make out or something

 **@callmemiller**  
I'm assuming from their radio silence that they've actually taken @the0gReyes 's suggestion

 **@greenmachine**  
I always knew it would come down to making out or murder

 **@callmemiller**  
I guess we don't really know which one they picked

 **@the0gReyes**  
as long as they keep it off my screen, idrc

 **@theofficematechronicles**  
UPDATE: still not getting anything done, but I'm 100% fine with it


End file.
